A man poses for a photo with the moon during a total lunar eclipse on November 8, 2022 in Kunming, … [+], Yunnan province of China. (Photo by Liu Ranyang/China News Service via Getty Images)
China News Service via Getty Images
On Tuesday morning, the final total lunar eclipse until 2025 saw the lunar surface turn a reddish-copper color for a stunning 86 minutes.
Western states saw the entire event highest in the night sky.
The moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse in Seoul, South Korea on November 8, 2022. (Photo by Wang … [+] Yiliang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
A total lunar eclipse occurs when a full Moon passes through Earth’s 870,000 mile/1.4 million km shadow in space. Tuesday’s event saw the Moon move through the northern half of Earth’s shadow instead of exactly through its center. This made the lunar surface slightly brighter, especially at the northern edge.
The moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse in Kuwait City, Kuwait on November 8, 2022. (Photo by … [+] Asad/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
This total lunar eclipse followed a partial solar eclipse on October 25, 2022, two weeks earlier. Eclipses usually come in twos or threes. That’s because every 173 days, for between 31 and 37 days, the Moon is perfectly aligned to intersect the ecliptic. The result is a short period during which two solar and lunar eclipses can occur, and occasionally three.
The moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse in Canberra, Australia on November 8, 2022. (Photo by Chu … [+] Chen/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
Eclipses do not happen every month because the Earth’s Moon’s orbit is tilted 5º to the ecliptic, so the New Moon is usually above or below the Sun and the Full Moon is above or below the Sun. under the shadow of the Earth.
People watch a total lunar eclipse at Haiwan Park on November 8, 2022 in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province… [+] from China (Photo by Zou Xunyong/VCG via Getty Images)
VCG via Getty Images
During the event, the seventh planet Uranus was close to the lunar disk and was spotted by observers with a keen eye for the small blue-green object. From parts of Asia and Alaska, the Moon obscured Uranus, hiding it from view while the Moon was at its fullest.
A beaver blood lunar eclipse is seen behind the Statue of Liberty atop the dome of the US… [+] The Capitol Building as set on Election Day on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The only light that reaches the lunar surface during a total lunar eclipse is filtered through the Earth’s atmosphere for the first time. Short-wavelength blue light from the Sun hits molecules in Earth’s atmosphere and scatters, but longer-wavelength red and orange light travels mostly, hitting fewer molecules.
People take in the view from Griffith Park as a total lunar eclipse creates a ‘super blood moon’… [+] on May 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The eclipse coincided with a supermoon that occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The last year there wasn’t a total lunar eclipse was 2017, but they do take a break for a few years. The next total lunar eclipse will be on March 14, 2025, when totality will last 65 minutes and will be visible from North America.
The full blood-red beaver moon passes behind the Empire State Building during a total lunar eclipse… [+] on November 8, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The next longest totality to Tuesday’s will be a 102-minute event on June 26, 2029. This will be visible from North America, South America and the Pacific, Atlantic, Europe and Africa.
Disclaimer: I am the publisher of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com
I wish you clear skies and wide eyes.